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Copper One Penny Token, minted by Thomas Stokes, Melbourne. Originally issued by R.B. Ridler, Wholesale & Retail Butcher, Richmond, Victoria, 1862. Robert Broom Ridler was an Englishman, born in Devonshire in 1825. He arrived in Victoria in about 1852. He took a position as salesman with Mr. Butler in the shop which shortly afterwards became his own, in Richmond. By 1856 Ridler was running the shop in his own name. In 1857 Ridler married Sophia Wild, later having eleven children. He sold his business to a Mr Brockman in 1877 and retired to Dandenong, where he died in 1898.

Previous Collections: National Gallery of Victoria

Description:

A round copper token (34 mm diameter) with the name, address and business of the issuer: R.B. Ridler 187 Bridge Road, Richmond, wholesale and retail butcher. The reverse is a Stokes stock wheatsheaf. This token has been heavily cleaned and varnished.

Ridler employed Stokes strike trade tokens in 1862. The obverse was a standard format of the issuers name address and business - only one die was needed. This die (Obverse A) was linked to three stock reverses in 1862 but the obverse survived and was empoloyed to make an additional three types in about 1920. The late strikes show corrosion to the dies.The following original types are known: A/Emu 1, A/Sheaf 1 and A/ Arms 6The following late strikes from corroded dies are also recorded: A/ Arms 6, A/ Emu 3 and A/ Vine 2 - these are not trade tokens but collector restrikes and concoction.